share

IMAGES: Publicity Hounds and Shutterbugs

This thirsty tenebrionid beetle of Africa's Namib Desert pulled a clever trick to get a drink: It scaled a dune on a foggy morning and faced away from the wind. By ducking its head, the beetle then channeled the droplets of dew that condensed on its body toward its mouth. The photo, snapped by Olivier Grunewald of France, nabbed a prize in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. At this online exhibit, you can admire the best entries in the contest, sponsored by the Natural History Museum in London and the magazine BBC Wildlife. The striking shots include an African wild dog teasing a zebra and a badger stealthily approaching a backyard pond for a drink. The photographers' captions often add nuggets of natural history.